James Lavelle is heading to XL. These things happen when smaller record labels get swallowed up by larger ones. UK trip-hop label Mo’Wax, home to UNKLE, DJ Shadow, and Money Mark’s British output, has undergone important changes, causing a number of artists to possibly leave the label.

After parent label A&M closed due to the Polygram/Universal Merger, Mo’Wax founder James Lavelle turned over his Wax to Island Records. Lavelle himself has signed a new deal with XL Records, the UK home of the Prodigy. Under this deal, Lavelle’s new project will have a different name, of course, but what about all of Lavelle’s loyal Mo’Wax artists?

Rumors persist that many of his artists - including his UNKLE partner DJ Shadow and Beasties keyboardist Money Mark - will refuse to release any material through Island out of allegiance to Lavelle, according to Muzik.

“I think to a certain extent, there is that with certain people,” he told the magazine, “but I don’t want to put words in their mouths.” How this will effect the US releases of these and other Mo’Wax bands remains to be seen